Assignment:
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Option 1: Minority Confinement
You are a judge in Central City Juvenile Court. After 15 years on the bench, it is clear to you that many minority youths come before you in Court. In fact, you have asked the Records Office to give you some statistics. Those statistics confirm that a higher percentage of minority youths, compared to their proportion in the County, come into Juvenile Court. You are convinced that the problem is larger than juvenile court. You believe that a significant reason for this problem is structural inequality and poverty.
Prepare an article intended to raise public awareness which addresses the following questions:
• What are the root causes of disproportionate minority confinement?
• What additional factors affect disproportionate minority confinement and minority youth?
• What can a judge, police respondents, and the community do about this problem?
Your paper must meet the following requirements:
• Your written paper should be 2 to 3 pages in length not counting the title and reference pages, which you must include.
• Use terms, evidence, and concepts from class readings.
Option 2: Case Studies
Analyze the following U.S. Supreme Court cases and their influence on policing and due process in juvenile justice:
• In re Gault 387 U.S. 1 (1967) (Links to an external site.)
• In re Winship 397 U.S. 358 (1970) (Links to an external site.)
Your analysis should specifically address the following questions:
• How did these cases influence police arrests and how police interact with juveniles?
• How did these cases change victim court procedures in juvenile justice?
Your paper must meet the following requirements:
• Your written paper should be 2 to 3 pages in length not counting the title and reference pages, which you must include.
• Use terms, evidence, and concepts from class readings.